Best Cars for $20K

Times are tough, and money’s scarce. You’ve probably noticed this. So even though perilous economic times haven’t deterred us from our basic mission—a relentless search for automotive entertainment—we recognize a need for providing suggestions that can get you into one of our favorite cars at a low cost. Or perhaps even get you into a car you previously thought unattainable.

Beyond its smell, a new car is alluring because (a) like marrying a virgin, its particular charms and secrets have presumably been known to no other and (b) its problems, if any, will be corrected at no cost to you.

You obviously forgo both those advantages, at least to some extent, with a used car, and you’re never entirely sure how that ride has been treated by its former owner. Love? Abuse? Indifference?

On the other hand, the realm of the previously owned avoids that big first-year-depreciation hit and provides access to cars that may lie beyond your economic reach when new. A new Porsche Boxster, for example, the most affordable of all Porsches, carries a base price of $47,395. Affordable and $47,395 make uneasy allies in the best of times but are particularly hard to reconcile when your 401k is at periscope depth and shows no signs of resurfacing anytime soon.

So with finance in mind, we’re revisiting a C/D public service initiated last year [“The $25,000 Question,” October 2008]. The basic premise is the same—the most desirable used cars at affordable prices—but in recognition of tight money, we’ve lowered the price ceiling by five grand.

Beyond that, our approach was the same. We developed a list of potential cars, using Kelley Blue Book prices as a guideline, then chased down specific examples via www.autotrader.com or car clubs. We invited the owners to join us for a day at GingerMan Raceway in western Michigan—so trusting, these guys—then spent the day driving their cars around the circuit and on nearby public roads. As with the inaugural derby, we added two of our favorite new cars to the mix, this time a Mazda 3 and a Mini Cooper, each available for less than $20,000.

Unlike last year’s roundup, we didn’t attempt to rate the cars. Entertainment—always a top priority at Casa C/D—was the guiding selection factor. Which one appeals to you is a matter of your personal priorities. That’s why our group again ranges from a purist’s sports car such as the Honda S2000 to an SUV such as the Chevy TrailBlazer SS, where fun manifests itself in different ways. Always nice to have choices.

WOW!!!!